Arts & Leisure Tours is offering special pricing on packages to Portugal’s famous Algarve coast. Starting from $1,589 per person, double and leading up to $1,989 per person, double, the packages include round trip airfare to Lisbon with SATA Airlines, five nights accommodation in Albufeira at the five-star Sheraton Algarve (in a deluxe resort view room) with breakfast and dinner each day, one night in Lisbon at the five-star Tivoli Lisboa with breakfast, and a five-day rental car. The Algarve, with upwards of 300 days of sunshine year round, is known for its golf courses and the Arts & Leisure Tours deal also includes free golf on the coast, based on availability. Packages must be booked by March 30 to secure the discounted rates, for travel April 1 - May 31. Air taxes total approximately $300 per person. See www.artsandleisuretours.com.

FREE DAY WITH BRITRAIL

Time is money with BritRail’s newest promotion. The rail company is offering one free travel day on its most popular passes, so long as bookings are made by April 15 for travel up to six months from date of purchase. Qualifying passes include the BritRail FlexiPass, the BritRail Consecutive Pass, the BritRail England FlexiPass and the BritRail England Consecutive Pass, in either Standard or First Class. Plus, the savings can be combined with other passes like the BritRail Party Pass (offering half-off discounts for third through ninth passengers in a group), the BritRail Family Pass (where one child per adult travels free) and the BritRail Senior Pass, among others. As always, all BritRail passes must be bought here at home before you leave for your trip, as they can’t be purchased in Britain. See www.BritRail.com.

EASTER AT HORSESHOE

Easter weekend at Horseshoe Resort, just north of Barrie, comes with a package the whole family can enjoy. Starting at $429 for a two-night stay, based on two adults and two kids and valid April 6 - 8, the deal includes two nights accommodation (Friday/Saturday or Saturday/Sunday) with breakfast daily, plus a long list of family-friendly activities, like a birds of prey show (Saturday afternoon), geo-caching (Saturday and Sunday), a meet ‘n greet with Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob SquarePants (Sunday morning), movie night (Saturday) and, of course, a good old fashioned egg hunt (Sunday morning). Seehttp://horseshoeresort.com.

BEST BUY OF THE WEEK

A new promotion from Nassau and Paradise Island in the Bahamas offers between $250 and $400 in instant savings per room, on trips booked by May 14 for travel April 15 - June 20, and again Aug. 19 - Oct. 31. Packages must include airfare and accommodation at a participating resort. See www.bahamas.com

Kathryn Folliott is a Toronto-based freelance writer. Prices quoted are subject to change and availability.

PICKS OF THE WEEK

Sunquest: Punta Cana, air & hotel, $999 (+$374 taxes & fees) (April 8). www.sunquest.ca

Air Canada Vacations: Two-night New York City, air & hotel, $589 (+$130 taxes & fees) (April 9). www.aircanadavacations.com

Nolitours: Costa Rica, air & hotel, $599 (+$310 taxes & fees) (April 2). www.nolitours.com

Signature Vacations: Riviera Nayarit, air & hotel, $595 (+$357 taxes & fees) (March 30).www.signaturevacations.com

Transat Holidays: Varadero, air & hotel, $659 (+$276 taxes & fees) (March 31).www.transatholidays.com

Bel Air Travel: Antigua, air & hotel, $998 (+$317 taxes & fees) (March 31).www.belairtravel.com

Sunwing Vacations: Cayo Coco, air & hotel, $495 (+$290 taxes & fees) (June 4).www.sunwing.ca

Sell Off Vacations: Riviera Maya, air & hotel, $289 (+$332 taxes & fees) (March 26).www.selloffvacations.com

itravel2000: Munich, air & hotel, $1,087 (+$560 taxes & fees) (May 24). www.itravel2000.com

WestJet Vacations: Honolulu, air & hotel, $1,569 (+$160 taxes) (April 29).www.westjetvacations.com

Tour East Holidays: Eight-night Egypt, air, hotel, Nile cruise, $2,399 (+$590 taxes & fees) (May 19). www.toureast.com

 

Algarve Car Hire - www.myalgarvecars.com